The first car I drove was my mom’s suburban- she would let me borrow it at night and on weekends in high school. It was humungous, and learning to park that tank was a feat all in itself. Luckily my grandfather, Murphy, was a fantastic parallel parker and taught me the few crucial steps to... Continue Reading →
One of my favorite mentors once told me the secret to raising happy and healthy children is to know them well and genuinely think they are special for who they are. This sounded really easy, because luckily my kids are pretty awesome, and I often feel proud of them. However, it became a bit of... Continue Reading →
Dear me, from 15 years ago, Hello dear friend! I know it may seem silly to write you this letter, but I think about you a lot. I look back upon this time in our life with such fondness. I often think about the unique independence college afforded, and how much that influenced this formative... Continue Reading →
Me, preparing to go out of town for two nights: Wash four loads of laundry, prep the kids' lunches and snacks, wrap the birthday present(s) for the weekend, lay out my son's basketball uniform, stock up the fridge with snacks, and write out the kids' plans for the weekend. Oh, and pack my bag. My... Continue Reading →
It seems like New Years resolutions have become a bit passe, but I would still argue that many of us look for some sort of healthy reset at the start of each new year. And let’s be honest: eating healthy consistently is really hard to do! It’s a choice, an active decision we have to... Continue Reading →
The holidays are my favorite time of year- I love the music, the weather changes, all the excitement, and the break from school and work. The only difficult aspect of the holidays for us is living far away from the rest of our family. We have traveled for every single Thanksgiving and Christmas since having our first child... Continue Reading →
I’m prone to depression and anxiety. I’m pretty sure it runs in my family (although everyone else denies it) so I feel that I come by it fairly honestly. That being said, no one really talks about it much, so the first few times I had bouts of depression, I didn’t really grasp what was... Continue Reading →
I’ve always loved the human connection. I enjoy spending time with people, listening to their stories, having intimate conversations at dinners and small gatherings. I also like to feel included, part of a group, and a member of my community. My family is very close, and with three sisters and several cousins, being around people... Continue Reading →
There is literally nothing that makes me happier than the smell of pumpkin bread baking in the oven. It reminds me of crisp Fall days from my childhood, the changing of colors on the trees, and the sign that the holiday season is around the corner. When I dug out my pumpkin bread recipe last... Continue Reading →
It all started innocently enough. Pretty much since the day she sprouted them, people have been commenting on my daughter’s beautiful, curly blonde hair. “She’s so cute, where did she get her curls from, how often do you cut her hair?” The comments occur so frequently that I’ve grown accustom to it, and initially I... Continue Reading →
Some Thoughts are Better Left Unsaid 